Controlling mechanism for dispensing machines



April 1930- V c. w. NIYXON "1,753,091

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING MACHINES Filed July 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTQR Cllfro/v VIA Mx N BY ATTOR. EY

April l," 1930. c. w. NIXON 1,753;091

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING MACHINES Filed July 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Curra/v VIZ M" 'ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLIFTON w. NIxoN, OENEW YORK, N. Y.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM non DISPENSING MAcHINEs Application filed July 11, 1928, Serial No. 291,824, and in Great Britain July 1 3, 1927.

10 related to an arrangement including an auto-.

matic control for putting the transmission connecter out of operative relationship with its operating mechanism at a predetermined place.

'15 The invention has for its paramount object to preclude absolutely the surreptitious operation of the working parts of the machine by providing means for automatically transferring the operative control of the working parts from the operator to mechanicallybperated means.

More specifically, the invention comprises a mechanical organization in which hand'actuated mechanism is arranged to control the operation of the transmission connecter, and in which tripping or disconnecting means, preferably arranged under the control of the transmission connecter, is provided for completely separating the operative connection 39 between the hand actuated mechanism and the transmission connecter.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a machine where the transmission connecter is completely and automatically separated at one point from its power receiving means, of tripping or disconnecting means of the character described which is arranged to effect the separation of the handactuated mechanism from the transmission.

connector prior to the separation of the power receiving means from the transmission connecter.

It is to be understood that in illustrating a particular form ofmy invention as embodied in a combined vending and change-making machine adapted to sell merchandise and give change, I have not intended to limit the broader aspects of the invention to that particular type of machine; for my present invention involves principles of general application which may be variously adapted and modified for use in connection with a machine for making change only, or in connection with a machine for vending merchandise only. a r

The subject matter of the present invention is, in a general way, also described in and certain novel features ofthe invention herein descrlbed, but not herein claimed, are clalmed in my two contemporaneously pending applications,'both' filed June 7, 1927, and bearing Serial No. 197,075, and Serial No. 197,07 6, re spectively. The specific hand-actuated mechanism herein described, but not herein claimed, comprises certain improvements over my application No.197,076 aforesaid and said mechanism is more fully illustrated and described in the contemporaneously pending application of Louis H. Larsen and Samuel C. McKeown, filed April 2, 1928, Serial No.

Other objects'will appear hereinafter. The invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings formmg a part of this specification, and in Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary vertical sectlonal'view through a combined vendlng and change-making machine, showing the adaptation therewith of an automatic con trol in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the coin-controlled carrier which constitutes the transmission connecter;

at the moment of eifecting' such separation;

Fig. 4 represents a horizontal cross-section, takenon the line l4 of Fig. 8; V

Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary sectional plan view on'a larger scale taken o 55 of Fig. 3.; and

n the line magazine structure 11 mounted for rotation therein and composed of a circular lower section 12, a circular upper section 13, and ver tically extending rods 14 rigidly connecting said sections. The'lower section 12 is sup ported for rotation upon a suitable axis shaft.

15, while the upper section 13 issupported for rotation with a suitable axis shaft 16. Fixed to the lower section 12 is a ring plate 17 on which are mounted a circular series of upright holding units 18 for containing the merchandise to be sold; and fixed to the upper section 13 is a ring plate 19 carryinga corresponding circular series of change-holding units 20, each composed of a plurality of wells 21 for containing the changeto accompany the merchandise to be sold. The upper ring plate 19 has secured thereto an internal gear 22 with which is engaged a driving pinion 23 operated through shaft 24, bevel gears 25, stud shaft 26 and sliding connections 27 from a hand-actuated element in the form of a handle 28 arranged for rotation in a bearing block 29. By turning the handle 28, the magazine structure can be turned so as to bring any desired merchandise holding unit 18 with its accompanying change-holding unit 20 into delivery position with relation to the delivery receptacle 30.

The machine may be provided with a plurality of power receiving devices in the form of suitable bell crank actuators 31, of which in the present instance there are three (see Fig. 4), each mounted upon a horizontal pin 32 for partial rotation toward the front 33 of the casing so as to command the operation of coin ejectors as 34 adapted to eject coins from the wells of the change-holding units 20. The short arm of each bell crank actuator engages under a coiled cushioning spring 35 carried'by a lift frame 36 including side members 37 formed with ears 38 mounted to turn on the horizontal pin 32, said side members 37 suitably converging as shown'toprovideo parallel ends 39'arranged on opposite sides of the axis shaft 16 for the support thereon of a lift sleeve 40. Pinned at 41 to the liftsleeve is a lift shaft 42 telescoping within the axisshaft 16 and connected at its lower end by a ball and socket joint 43 with a lift rod 44, there being provided on the lift shaft 42 a hollow cylindrical weight 45 which surrounds the ball and socket joint and which serves as a medium, through the agency of lift shaft 42, lift sleeve 40 andlift frame 36, for maintaining the bell crank actuators 31 i in starting position as well as for repositioning the same after each actuation toward the casing front 33. A bell crank 46 is pivoted at one end to the lower end of lift rod 44and at its other end to a push rod 47 having pivotal. connection with a master pusher 48. With this construction, each bell crank actuator controlsthe operation of the master pusher 48. Each merchandise holding unit 18 is furnished with a merchandise ejector 49, and when a holding unit is brought into delivery position behind the delivery receptacle 30, its ejector 49 is alined with the master pusher 48 to be operated thereby for the discharge of merchandise into the delivery receptacle. 'Therefore, on' each operation of each .bell crank actuator, it is possible to effect the discharge of merchandise and change.

. The bearing block 29 is supported solely by a fulcrum pin 50 on the'frame 51 sothat the handle 28 can be moved downwardly or depressed with the bearing block turning on the fulcrum .pin'5O for the purpose of providing power for advancing inwardly of the casing away from the front wall 33 thereof a transmission connecter in the form of a bodily movable carrier. 52, this operation being accomplished through the agency of a train of parts comprising a-bell crank 53, link 54, and draw-bar 55 adapted to be engaged with a pull-bar 56 which is pivotally attached to thecarrier 52. For each boll crank actuator 31, there is provided on the carrier a coin-controlled. unit. 57 commanding a hooked catch-bar 58 adapted, when the carrier is advanced to extreme position from the casing front 33, to be engaged with the hooked end 59 of its corresponding bell crank actuator so as to operate the same and effect a discharge of merchandise and change as the carrier is returned towardthe casing front 33.

As above noted, there are, in the present instance, three coin-controlled units 57, one for each bell crank actuator. As will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 2, the carrier includes elongated strips 60, 61 and 62 connected by cross pieces 63 and 64 provided with shoes 65 adapted to slide on guides or rails 66. Coiled pull springs 67 connect projections 68 on the strips 60 and 62 with fixed projections 69 adjacent the casing front, whereby the carrier is retracted against an abutment block 7 0. With each of the strips 60, 61 and 62, is-associated a coin holding unit 57 including a head 71 and slide 72 forming a coin-space 73. The coin-spaces may difier in size to accommodate different sizes of coins. The slides 72 have movement relatively to their heads, being provided with pins 74 slidable in elongated slots 75 provided in their associated strips. By springs 76, connecting the pins 74 with pins 77 on the strips, the slides are drawn toward their heads to clamp coins in the coin-spaces. To adjust the slides andmake the coin-spaces of proper coin receiving size as the carrier is retracted against the abutment block, suitable pins 78 project laterally fromthe. slides so as to engage adjustable stop pins 79 dependingfrom the supporting frame 80. As the carrier advances from the abutment block, the tensioned slides clamp any coins reposing in the coinspaces.

When, in operation, a slide 7 2 clamps a coin in the coin-space against its cooperating head 71, it is thereby rendered eflective, upon the carrier being drawn to extreme position from the casing front 33, to engage its catchbar 58 with the hook 59 of the corresponding bell crank actuator, so that upon the retiring movement of the carrier toward the casing front 33, the engaged bell crank actuator will also be drawn toward the casing front 33 to effect a discharge of merchandise and change. Where there is no coin clamped in the coinspace, a slide will not be connected up with its bell crank actuator, it catch-bar 58 falling short of engagement with the hooked end 59 thereof, since the spring 7 6 on the disengagei ment of the pin 78 with the stop 7 9 draws the slide toward the casing front 33 to the full extent permitted by the slot 75. Momentarily prior to the return of the carrier to its position of rest against the abutment block and after the merchandise and change have been discharged, the engaged bell crank actuator 31 is released for its movement to starting position because of the engagement of a cam portion 81 on the catch-bar 58 with a trip pin 82.

inner to put the returning movement of the carrier toward the casing fr nt 33 positively beyond the control of the handle 28 and under the control of the retractile springs 67, it is necessary completely to separate the transmission connections comprising the draw-bar 55 and pull-bar 56. If with a catchbar 58 engaged with a bell crank actuator 31. the handle be operated up and down without bringing it fully to that precise position where such engaged catch-bar 58 will be tripped from its coengaged bell crank actuator 31, all of the goods in a merchandise holding unit 18 and as well all of the change in the companion change-holding unit 20 can be discharged from the machine without the deposit of purchase coins. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the draw-bar 55 and pull-bar 56 are made so as to establish automatically an interlocking engagement on the initial down stroke of the handle 28 and so as to have such interlocking engagement disestablished on the initial up stroke there of. For this purpose, as best shown in Fig. 6, the draw-bar 55 is made with a yoked end to provide spaced arms 83 and 83 between which is secured a cylindrical body 84 having a hook receiving notch85, while the pullbar 56 has arelatively long neck86 terminating in a cam hook 87. With the parts in position to be operated-as shown in Fig. I the neck 86 is situated between the arms 83 and 83 with the hook in position to be engaged in the notch 85 on slight movement of the draw-bar, which moves upwardly and rearwardly on an arc, it being mounted to swing on a pivot pin 88 on the frame 51. The pull-bar is, positioned for interlocking engagement with the draw-bar by means of a contact ledge 89 fixed thereto, which contact ledge is adapted to engage an elongated block 90 and slide to the top of an upwardlyprojecting cam portion 91 thereon, as. the carrier comes to rest against the abutment block.

The means for-separating the draw-bar 55 and pull-bar 56 comprises a tripping device in the form of a kick up pin 92 provided eccentrically on a disk-shaped base 93 which is placed upon an annular flange 94 produced for the purpose on the upper end of the lift sleeve 40. This kick up pin is slidably fitted in a vertical tubular guide 95 secured in a suitable frame part 96,- and it is held against rotation by a key 96 having slidingfit in a key way 98 therein, said key being'suitably fixed to the'frame part 96 and passing later ally into the guide 95. At its top end, the kick up pin is furnished with a roller 99 adapted to impinge and turn on, the contact ledge 89. These parts are so arranged and proportionedthat when the carrier is in extreme position from the casing front 33,. the roller 99.'will be in close proximity to the underface of the contact ledge 89 where only a slight upward movement of the sleeve and kick up pin, impelled by one of the bell crank actuators, will force the pull-bar upwardly, lifting the hook, 87 completely from the notched body 84 of the draw-bar, it being observed in this connection that the pull-bar is attached by a pivot pin 100 tothe central strip 61 so as to have free vertical movement. This act-ion takes place on slight upward movement of the handle from its lower terminal of movement, and it will be evident that immediately the hook 87 is raised from the notched body 84, the retractile springs 67 will function to complete the retiring movement of the carrier to the abutment block. In this way, the carrier, any bell crank actuator engaged therewith, and consequently all working parts controlling the merchandise and coin ej ectors, are placed beyond the control of the operator of the machine at the beginning of the return stroke of the carrier. In Fig. 3 I illustrate the relative positions of the parts at the momentth'e pull-bar is forced out of engagement with the draw-bar. The retractile springs 67 draw the carrier to its position of rest against the abutment block 7 0 before the handle canbe moved upwardly into its elevated terminal position. As a result, the

pull-bar56 is positioned upon. the cam portion 91 when the returning draw-bar engages its cylindrical body 84 with the cam hook 8.7,

construction of controlling mechanism which embodies the features of advantage enumerated in the statementofmvention and the above description, and whileI have, in the present instance, shown and described a specific form of mechanism embodying the principleof my invention, it'is to be understood that this is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention or sacrificin r any of its advantages.

Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1 1. Ina machine of the character described, an actuating mechanism, a transmission connecter in the formofa carrier, means affording a separable connect-ion foroperating said carrier by said mechanism, and means dependent for its action upon the operation of said carrier for separating said separable connection whereby entirely to release said carrier from the control of said mechanism. 2. In a machine of the character described, an actuating mechanism, a carrier with retractile means acting thereon arranged to be connected to said mechanism to be operated thereby against the force of the retractile means, and means for disconnecting said carrier from saidmechanism to place the former under the sole control of its ret-ractile means. 3. In a machine of the character described, an actuating mechanism, a power receiving lever, a carrier with retractile means acting thereon arranged to operate said power receiving lever and to be connected to said mechanism to be operated thereby against the force of the retr'actile means, and means for disconnecting said carrier from said mechanism to put the operation of said power receiving' lever under thesole control of said carrier. v

4-. In a machine of the character described, an actuating mechanism, a carrier, means comprising a pair-of pivoted co-acting members arranged to afford a separable connection for operating said carrier by said mechanism, and means controlled by said carrier controlling the separation of said co-acting members during the conjoint operation of said mechanism and carrier.

. 5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of actuating mechanism, a transmission connecter, two members, one comprising a pull-bar attached to said connecter and the other comprising a draw-bar attached to said mechanism, said'members being arranged for interlocking engagement whereby-to move said connecter by said mechanism, and means for forcing said members out of interlocking engagement.

6. In a machlne of the character described,

the combination of actuating mechanism, a

tranmission connecter, two .members, one comprising a pull-bar attached to said connecter and the other comprising a draw-bar attached to said mechanism, said members be ing arranged for interlocking engagement for moving said connecter by said mechanism, means for tripping the pull-bar member out of interlocking engagement with the draw bar member, and means under the control of said connecter controlling the actuation of said tripping means.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a movably mounted spring retracted carrier including a pull-bar, of a hand-actuated mechanism including a draw-bar capable of interlocking with said pull-bar for movingsaid carrieragainst the force of its springs on the operation of said mechanism, and a trip pin to be controlled byv the movement of said carrier arranged at a predetermined point to engage said pull-bar and force the sameout of interlocking relation with said pull-bar.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a movably mounted spring retracted carrier including a pull-bar and'a plurality of coin-controlled units each commanding a catch-bar, of hand-actuated mechanism including a draw-bar capable of interlocking with said pull-bar for moving said carrier against the force of its springs on the operation of said mechanism, a 'trip'pin to be actuated to engage said puii-bar and force the same out of interlocking relation with said draw-bar, and means adapted to be engaged and actuated by each catch-bar controlling the actuation of said trip pin.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a spring retracted transmission connecter including a hooked pull-bar and an actuating mechanism i11- cluding a hooked draw-bar, of means for holding said pull-bar in'position to be interlocked by said draw-bar, and tripping means for forcing said pull-bar out of interlocking relation with said draw-bar, said tripping means being dependent for its action upon the movement of said connecter.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a carrier with retractilesprings acting thereon and actuating mechanism arranged to be connected by separable connections to the'carrier to move it against the force of its springs, of a catchbar on said carrier, a trip pin to be actuated for efiecting the separation of said'separable connections, and means arranged to be en-' gaged by said catch-bar controlling the actuation of said trip pin.

11. In a machine of the character described,

the combination with a carrier with retractile springs acting thereon and actuating mechanism arranged to be connected by separable connections to the carrier to move it against the force of its springs, of a catch-bar on said carrier, a trip pin to be actuated for effecting the separation of said separable connections, a bell crank actuator positioned for engagement by said catch-bar, and a lift sleeve mounted to receive movement from said bell crank actuator and supporting said trip pin.

12. The combination with a draw-bar and a transmission connecter to be drawn thereby, of a pull-bar pivoted to said connecter and engageable by said draw-bar to be interlocked therewith, a kick-up pin arranged to contact said pull-bar and force it out of in terlocking engagement with said draw-bar, and means for actuating said kick-up pin.

13. The combination with a draw-bar and atransmission connecter to be drawn thereby, of a pull-bar pivoted to said connecter and engageable by said draw-bar to be interlocked therewith, a movable kick-up pin provided with a roller to contact said pullbar and force it out of interlocking engagement with said draw-bar, and means for supporting and actuating said kick-up pin.

14. In a machine of the character described, consisting of a transmission connecter with a pull-bar and a draw-bar arranged to in terlock with the pull-bar, a shaft having a lift sleeve thereon, a kick-up pin supported on said sleeve and therewith movable and adgpted to contact said pull-bar to force the same out of interlocking engagement with said draw-bar, means for lifting said sleeve and a key retaining said kick-up pin against rotation.

15. In a machine of the character described, consisting of a transmission connecter with a pull-bar and a draw-bar arranged to interlock with the pull-bar, a shaft having a sleeve thereon. a bell crank arranged to lift said sleeve, a catch-bar on said connecter to be engaged with said bell crank for operating the latter during the movement of said connecter, and a kick-up pin movable with said sleeve to contact said pull-bar and force the same out of interlocking engagement with said draw-bar on the operation of said bell crank.

16. In a machine of the character described, consisting of a spring retracted carrier with a pull-bar and a draw-bar arranged to interlock with the pull-bar, a plurality of coincontrolled units supported by said carrier, a shaft having a sleeve thereon, a catch-bar carried by each coin-controlled unit, bell cranks arranged to be engaged and actuated by said catch-bars, a frame for lifting said sleeve commanded by each of said bell cranks, and a kick-up pin movable with said sleeve to contact said pull-bar and force the same out of interlocking engagement with said draw-bar on the operation of abell crank.

17. In a machine of the character described, consisting of a spring retracted transmission connecter with a pull-bar and a draw-bar arranged to interlock with the pull-bar, a shaft having a sleeve thereon, a bell crank arranged to lift said sleeve, a catch-bar on said connecter to be engaged with said bellv crank for operating the latter during the movement of said connecter, a kick-up pin movable with said sleeve to contact said pullbar andv force the same out of interlocking engagement with said draw-bar, and means for disengaging said catch-bar from said bell crank subsequently to the disestablishment of the interlocking engagement between said pull-bar and draw-bar.

18. In a machine of the character described, consisting of a spring retracted transmission connecter with a pull-bar and a draw-bar arranged to interlock with the pull-bar, a shaft having a sleeve thereon, a bell crank arranged to lift said sleeve, a catch-bar on said connecter to be engaged with said bell crank for operating the latter during the movement of said connecter, a kick-up pin movable with said sleeve to contact said pull-bar and force the same outof interlocking engagement with said draw-bar, and a weight associated with said sleeve for positively repositioning the samealong with its actuating bell crank after each operation.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CLIFTON, W. NIXONi 

